Gold Coast icon Chill on Tedder’s closure rings alarm bells

THE times they are a’changing. For a few years now, Gold Coasters have watched the food scene seriously step it up, but the price of our booming culinary culture could be the loss of some of our restaurant icons.

Daran and Leesa Glasgow, the owners of Chill on Tedder which is closing in March. Picture: Mike Batterham

THE times they are a’changing.

For a few years now, Gold Coasters have watched the food scene seriously step it up, but the price of our booming culinary culture could be the loss of some of our restaurant icons. Chill on Tedder have announced their closure. Alto Cucina and Bar and Mario’s Italian Restaurant, both under the same ownership, are shaking things up.

And Brad, Thea and Harry Pearce’s beloved Bistro Franc with the adjoining Franc’s Deli, formerly Espana Tapas Bar, has left the building after selling.

So what’s the deal?

“A lot of it has to do with the amount of restaurants opening and everyone trying new things,” Harry says.

“The neighbourhood is changing quickly, too. Five years ago you’d generally end up in Broady, now you could go to any suburb on the Coast.

“Rent has a lot to do with it. We were doing fine because we’re pretty small, but our rent by square metre was more than Melbourne and Sydney.

“We were paying more at Bistro than a place I worked at in Fitzroy, Melbourne right off Brunswick Street with a capacity of 400, a rooftop bar – the lot – and our little spot’s rent was more than that. It’s crazy.”

While Bistro Franc went out on a high, receiving an offer “too good to say no to,” Harry has concerns for his compatriots.

“There’s no way there’s enough business to go around; the Gold Coast has less than 600,000 people,” he explains.

The Gold Coast’s culinary culture is booming but is it sustainable. Photo: Jerad Williams

“Just looking off restaurants on TripAdvisor that’s an estimated 300 people to every restaurant; Melbourne and Sydney have around 1200 people per restaurant.

“People in the city are more likely to eat out as well – smaller living spaces and kitchens.

“The Gold Coast is more outdoorsy, we’re up early and early to bed.”

Of course it’s not all doom and gloom, but Harry has concerns about the current cycle’s sustainability.

“You’ve got to consider the food truck events as well. A lot of people are going to food truck nights now instead of going out,” Harry says.

“It’s got a lot to do with what’s on the radar, certain restaurants are always on the radar – Justin Lane, Etsu, Hellenika – but the rest a lot is what’s flavour of the month.

“Look at a few places that closed over summer – the busiest time of year – that’s unheard of.”

That’s just what’s happened with iconic Main Beach restaurant Chill on Tedder, who announced their closure last week. The news set the restaurant rumour mill abuzz, but owner Daran Glasgow sets the record straight for the first time here.

“I’m not blaming Tedder, that’s what everyone says: ‘Tedder Avenue is not as good as it used to be’ – it’s not Tedder’s fault,” he says.

“It’s just the cost of everything these days – rent, ATO, BAS, wages, produce. It makes it hard for small businesses to make a buck.

“If the price of fish goes up $5 a kilo I can’t put the price up without upsetting customers so it’s just hurting my margins.

“I’ve got Bar Chico next door, I opened that two years ago, so I’m just downsizing and putting my energy into that.”

Hospitality has never been perceived as an easy industry to prosper in, but Daran, an experienced restaurateur, can’t fathom how the new kids on the block are doing it.

“Young kids aren’t into fine dining – they like to have a beer and a burger,” he says.

“The older clientele are the ones that like fine dining and there’s not many of them left.

“Those new places I don’t know how they can get a $500,000 loan from the bank and make repayments and then pay rent, utilities, wages, linen, wholesale on top of that.

“I don’t know how they do it. I take my hat off to them.”

The silver lining, of course, is a less stressful lifestyle, more time for the kids and feeling the love from 11 years worth of customers.

“People have been really supportive and Leesa and I are really appreciative to those people,” he says.

“Chill is an icon in Gold Coast history, it brings a tear to our eye to see this happen.

“We’ve got two small kids so we’ll be able to spend more time with them. It’ll be a good thing, I’m sure.”

The doors are currently shut at Mario’s and Alto, but co-owner Andrew Dimattina says they will reopen early April. Some things will change, some will stay the same.

“Mario’s is still going to be Mario’s – it’s been around for 27 years so we don’t want to mess around with that too much,” Andrew says.

“We’re keeping an old-school look but everything will be new. Alto will be a whole new concept, it’s had a great run but was getting a bit tired, so we’re doing something new and a bit more up with the times.”

Mario’s will follow the same formula, but Alto will be “completely 100 per cent new and much improved”.

In fact, it won’t even be Alto anymore.

“We’re going to call it Beachside Pavilion,” Andrew says. “I don’t want to give too much away just yet, but it’s going to be all-day dining and drinking, more open and beachy. So hopefully we can attract some of that younger generation but also the old regulars will come check it

out as well.”

As many would know, Oasis Shopping Centre is undergoing a major revamp, which largely impacted the decision to renovate, but Andrew says it was time anyway.

“For me personally, I’ve been living in New York for the past two years, running a restaurant, so it was interesting to see what’s been happening.

“Back in the day when we first opened 14 years ago there wasn’t much around, there was the Main Beach strip and Broadbeach – but now there are so many areas.

“Everyone’s doing new, good things and you’ve got to keep up, which to be honest I think is good because it makes everyone strive for better.”

Chill on Tedder will be open until March 4, running a special menu so diners can say goodbye.